It is often the case that a portable information device configured to be lightweight and compact in consideration of portability is limited in its functions as well. For example, a laptop PC may also be limited in functions to make it lightweight and thin. Such a laptop PC is provided with a docking device as an exclusive device for expanding the functions of the laptop PC. The docking device is connected to the laptop PC via a connector, thereby expanding the functions of the laptop PC.
For example, a docking device in which a connector to be connected to a connection terminal formed on a bottom surface of a laptop PC is provided in order to project from a device placement portion of the docking device on which the bottom surface lands. Furthermore, a docking device in which a horizontal connector is provided on a side of its device placement portion and is connected to a connection terminal provided on a side surface of a portable information device.
When a docking device like those described above is docked with a portable information device, a vertical or horizontal connector is connected to a connection terminal of the portable information device. Therefore, if the connector of the docking device and the connection terminal of the portable information device are misaligned, the connector is not allowed to be smoothly and certainly connected to the connection terminal. However, since the connection and the connection terminal are mounted on substrates, it is necessary to allow for some misalignment. Furthermore, a horizontal connector tends to be at some distance from a positioning portion in which a portable information device is positioned. Therefore, there are a lot of parts lying between the positioning portion and the connector, and manufacturing tolerances or manufacturing errors of the parts are accumulated, thus the position accuracy of the connector may be reduced further. Moreover, when multiple connectors and connection terminals are configured to be arranged in parallel, the pitch among the connectors or among the connection terminals can be easily varied, and smooth connection of a connector is likely to be more difficult.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an improved docking device capable of connecting a connector to a connection terminal of a portable information device.